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Gartenberg: "The Mac is back" and it's a business, not a hobby

Tech industry analyst Michael Gartenberg tells Mac fans not to worry about the future of their favorite platform in his latest column over on Macworld. Over the past year, there has been a lot of consternation about the future of Apple's traditional computing platform as the company has seemingly put most of its development efforts into iOS-based products, like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad.

Following comments from Steve Jobs comparing PCs to trucks and mobile devices to cars, there was even speculation that Apple might eventually abandon traditional computers. However, Gartenberg says that unlike the original Apple TV, the Mac lineup is "a business, not a hobby." While the mobile devices now account for more than half of Apple's revenue, the Macs are still very significant, and perhaps more importantly, they're growing at a steady, rapid pace.

Despite some functionality of the small devices that has found its way back into the Mac, the OS X and iOS devices remain very distinct. Each has capabilities that the other cannot manage, and won't for the foreseeable future. The lines are unlikely to converge as long as a keyboard and large display remain important for the completion of many tasks. iOS machines will probably outsell OS X in sheer volume, but it seems like the latter will remain available.